ITS CONVENTION TIME!:  Things are pretty quiet on the news front as collectors vacation and attend some of the large doll conventions held in the summer. So...lets take a look at the Barbie convention that just added AND the UFDC convention that is starting this weekend in Atlanta.

BARBIE CONVENTION:  The National Barbie convention, "The Queen Of The Prom:  An Evening Under the Stars." just ended in Dearborn Michigan on Sunday.  The convention was a huge success--read all about it at The Doll Attic and at the Barbie Collectibles web site.   

UFDC CONVENTION:  The National UFDC Doll Convention "Starry Starry Night"  starts on Sunday, August 5th!  I'll be arriving early this year, late on Friday night (since, thanks to United Airlines messing up my flights, I have missed all the pre-convention Saturday events two years in a row).  If you are an About.com member, I would LOVE to meet you--please come up and say hello at convention!.  I'll be attending the Theriaults auctions on Sunday, and I'll be at many of the special events including the Sydney Chase and Madame Alexander dinners.  Although both of my small-group "Dolls and the Internet" seminars are sold out, I will be presenting an  expanded "Dolls and the Internet" program open to ALL on Thursday, from 2:15 PM - 4:00 PM.  If you haven't already found me earlier in the week, please stop by and say hello after the program!  Look for my convention coverage in the Dolls Forum and also in live updates on the site during the week.  If you're attending the convention, don't miss my  Doll Convention Survival Guide.  If you're wondering what conventions are all about, see last year's UFDC Convention Coverage:  Diary of a Mad Doll Collector: Daily Diary From The UFDC Doll Collectors Convention 2000.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2002 SILKSTONE BARBIES: Sandi Holder's Doll Attic is reporting that the Wedding Silkstone Barbie doll will be a brunette, the Silkstone Gift set will be called Jet Set Trousseau featuring an ash brown Silkstone doll, and the Fashion Model #4 will be in pink lingerie with short blonde hair.  Sandi says this isn't confirmed....but we hope it is soon!  

BIG EXPANSION PLANS FOR IMAGINARIUM: Two years after buying the small, educational toy store chain Imaginarium, Toys R Us Inc. is giving it a home on the Internet. Amazon.com will manage the Web site development, order fulfillment and customer service for imaginarium.com, which was launched Monday.  Imaginarium.com will handle the merchandising, planning, buying and inventory management of its store's products for the site.  Over the next few years, Toys R Us plans to increase the number of freestanding Imaginarium stores from the current 42 in the U.S. to more than 200 locations, and to install Imaginarium departments in all 710 American Toys R Us stores as they are renovated.  Toys R Us Inc., which operates 1,581 stores worldwide, owns 80 percent of both Toysrus.com and Imaginarium.com.

EBAY SUES BIDBAY: eBay is suing a small rival called BidBay.com, asserting that it copied eBay's look and feel to attract buyers and sellers.  EBay's trademark-infringement lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in San Jose, seeks damages and an injunction against BidBay. BidBay's founder and president didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.  EBay lawyers complained that BidBay improperly uses the word "bay" in its title and displays a rainbow-colored logo to give users a sense of its similarity to eBay. EBay lets users keep track of their buying and selling with a "my eBay" function. BidBay has one called "my BidBay."  Find Out More at Excite News. 

CHAT WITH DOLL COLLECTORS:   Have you tried out the NEW chat room--its lots of fun and easy to use!  The chat room allows for all sorts of fun things--sounds, emoticons, and easily adjustable chat fonts!  Come help us inaugurate the room.  The chat room is open 24 hours a day, and its free!  Just invite your friends in any time, or stop by to see who's there! Don't miss our Doll Chat--Wednesday nights at 8:00pm Pacific, which is 11pm Eastern, 10pm Central, 9pm Mountain.   http://collectdolls.about.com/mpchat.htm. 

TOY FAIR 2001 LINKS:  Its almost time to shop for Christmas, so check out the special Toy Fair Edition of About Dolls Daily, with news on Harry Potter, Dawn Dolls revival, Shoezies. Cosmic Babies, Josie and The Pussycats, Elle dolls, Little Lady; Betty and Veronica and ALL the dolls you'll be clamoring for Christmas.  Here is the link: Toy Fair Special Edition Of About Dolls Daily.  PLUS,  More Toy Fair Coverage: Toy Fair News  contains news from Toy Fair organized by doll company. 

Toy Fair and IDEX Main Page and  Photo Gallery

Toy Fair and IDEX Links

About Dolls Daily Archive:
July 5, 2001:   Jim Morrison Doll; Teddy from AI
June 19, 2001:  2002 Barbie releases announced; Teddy Bear Picnic contest; eBay Stores open for business.
June 6, 2001:  Gene's new African American friend announced; angry eBay users; Cher is a real doll! 
May 21, 2001:  Raggedy Ann And Andy Want IN to The Hall Of Fame; McDonalds Barbie and Kelly set.
May 10, 2001:  Christmas Kellys; Fashion Model Barbies 2001 Selling Out; Theriaults on Incurable Collector.
April 24, 2001:  Power Puff Girl Barbies; Josie and the Pussycats; Hasbro and Mattel loses; Robert Tonner Convention; Dutch Treat Auction. 
April 12, 2001:  Easter Baskets changing; Photopoint to Charge for Services; Barbie site is a no-go.
April 4, 2001:  Barbie Fashion Model News; iDolls goes out of business; glasses for dolls and kids are IN! 
March 28, 2001:  Eminem dolls banned; Ken turns 40--a humorous look; Bobble Head Dolls are big; doll pattern charity program.
March 15, 2001:  Another Artist Folds, Spindles and Mutilates Barbie; The Over-Teching of Toys; toywhypayretail.com is gone.
March 7, 2001:  Tyler Wentworth and Barbie Fashion Model Sell-Outs; Theriaults Themed Ten2Go Auctions.
March 1, 2001:  Harry Potter Dolls Shown at Private Toy Fair; Naked Barbies; Japanese Dolls
February 21, 2001:  Barbie Nutcracker Movie; Twiggy Doll, MORE!
February 15, 2001:  About Dolls Daily from Toy Fair, Edition Two
February 13, 2001:  About Dolls Family from Toy Fair, Edition One (includes 2/5 Pre-Toy Fair Edition).
January 30, 2001:  Live IDEX update--news on all your favorite fashion doll lines and much more! 
January 23, 2001:  IDEX Preview--Clea Bella, Christina St. Clair and more!  Plus, site with sewing measurements for your favorite large fashion dolls. 
January 18, 2001:  New, higher eBay listing fees; eBay keeps Buy It Now; eToys really struggling; Are smart toys making kids dumb?
January 12, 2001:  GENE gets a male companion; more Gene 2001 news; Theriaults Auction News and Review
January 6, 2001:    Update from Theriault's Auction Weekend:  Automata; Antiques Auction.
December 30, 2000: Theriaults Auction Weekend; History of Fashion Dolls in Barbie Bazaar Magazine warehouse.
December 16,2000:  2001 Fashion Model Barbie pictures; Treasure Trove Of Vintage Toys found in Government Warehouse; Kitt Kittredge sold out 
December 7,2000:  Ferrari Evening Barbie; Power Puff Girls BAD; new Clip Art; No Toy Home-Run for This Year's Holiday Season

Click HERE for the 2000 Doll News Archive  

For all 1999 editions of "Dolls This Week" please go to the 1999 Dolls This Week Archives.

Be a Roving Reporter!! Become a Roving Reporter and write a report on a doll event!  Or, do you have a doll event to promote, a new doll to announce, or an updated web site?  Please e-mail me at collectdolls.guide@about.com and put "Newsletter" in the subject line--For events, please give me 7 to 10 days advance notice (at minimum!) in order to have your event appear on time. Some events will also/alternatively appear in the Events Calendar.

Do You Have Dolls For Sale Or Trade? Did you know that you can place FREE classified ads for your dolls for sale or trade (or, dolls wanted) in the Doll Collecting Classified Forum?  Dealers, collectors, everyone welcome; feel free to link to your eBay auctions as well!  Visit the Dolls Forum to find out how to place your ad; if you are not yet a member, click on GUEST, but you will need a free Forum ID to place your ad.

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